Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-02
BUTTE PUBLIC OPINION.

the statement that "Mr. Richards said in
the House the other day tho press Of the
city Of Butte does not express the public
sentiment Of the city at large" upon the
variety bill. II Mr.. Richards made use Of
the language the gentleman 10 sadly misin-
formed. We are not aware that Mr.. Rick
ards has better means OF ascsrtaining the
sentiment Of tho Butte public upon the
variety business than has the press OF the
place. In fact 70 venture to say that the
newspapers OF the city understand the SEN
timsnt OF tho people better than does Mr..
Richards and fairly expresses it.
The MINER took ground against Mr..
Whites Variety Bill because it wasdiscrim-
mating and sought to bring up . greater
evil by destroying a lesser. It advocated
that the sale Of intoxicants be prohibited
in other places besides variety theatsrs. It
also favored the passage Of . measure rel
egatins the whole matter to the municipal
authorities Of tho cities and towns OF the
Territory. In this position it was and il
still sustained by such opponents Of popu-
lar sentiment ~ Joseph A. Hyde, Of the
First National Bank; M. ]. Connell, Of the
Bonner Mercantile Company; r. R. Hoss,
OF Kenyon Hardware Co.: z. Seissl, OF
Goldsmith & Co.; Robert Grix. Alderman;
B. Calkins & Co.; c. NJ. Turck, OF Leyson d
Turck, jewelers.; sands q Boyce; W. A.
Clark, OF Clark & Larabje, Bankers; Cans
& Klein, Clothiers; P. A. Largey, Of Bntte
Hardware Co.; John Burgess, Of Pacific
Express Co.; D. J. Hennesssy, oftbs firm Of
Hennessey & Co.. Clothiers; Babeock, tho
Halter; F. Fairfield, Of the firm Of Hight 4
Fairfield, jewelers.; II. Jacobs & Son.
Clothiers; Casey & Brophy. Grocers: Alex
Cohen, Grocer; William Warisld, Livery
Stable Keeper; John Mccormick, Mer-
chant; owsley q Carr, Livery; Lachman 4
Dunstan, Restaurantsurs; A. Pincus & Co., I
jewelers.; O. K. Lewis 4 Co., Dry Goods;
Morris Bros, Notions; Barnett & Co, Bee
Hive Store. and one hundred and nfty !
other prominent men in the city. Thss.
gentlemen all signed the petition pub
lishsd in THE MINER the other
morning which petition embodied the views
expressed BY TIE MINER and still sntsr-
tanned by it. They represent the intelli.
gence, wealth and culture Of the place and
they do not represent public sentiment
here we would like to know who does.
Mr.. Richards is mistaken and II the gen.
tlsmsn composing the Legislative Assembly
do not think tho press Of Butte represents
the sentiments Of the people Of tho city on
this question they too are mistaken. Al
glance at the names upon the petitions
sent over to Helena from this city favsring
the regulation Of this variety theatsr mat
ter to the city authorities will bear us out
in this assertion.
Many who signed tho petition praying
Tor the passage OF Whites variety bill, do
not favor the substitute presented by the
on Education and Labor. The
not only strikes at the variety
but also at the Lisdsrkrans and
Turn vereins. These latter social orsani.
are in tho habit Of buying and
taking their beer during their dances and
in the building in which their dances are
hold. But under the operation Of this
'lbstitute, the bar 1T Renshaw Hall would
DO closed during dances and the bar ut the
Grand Opera House would also bs shut
during performances 1t those places.
These. OF course, are but small matters and
an be rsmedied by participants At
lances and attendants at theaters going
20 other places ~toindulgs in their favorits
beverages. It ia simply mentioned to show
hat there is just such a thing - whipping
he devil around a stump without i~njurins
lis satauic majesty.
We repeat it the Taxpayers, and leading
itissns Of Butte express just what they
rant in the petition asking tho legislature
the control OF tho variety theater
be left to the authorities Of tho
tiles and towns OF the Territory. Such
disposition OF the subject would put these
on their good behavior and tend to
and bring them up fully to tho
'vel OF those run in Eastern cities where
hey are protected by law and attended
tho best people Of the country. |,